Inspiron 660 Windows 8 Recovery

I'm working on a Dell Inspiron 660 with Windows 8. When the computer is turned on, it gets to this screen:

If left alone, the PC restarts itself. I can get to the following screen:

Choosing enter does not resolve the issue. Choosing F8 gives me the following:

However, none of the options will make the PC boot Windows fully again.

At this point, I'm looking to reset the OS on this, by either restoring it to a known state, repairing the OS, or reinstalling the OS. I do not have a recovery DVD as none was sent with the PC.

My question is - Where is the menu to either repair, restore, or reinstall the OS? I have a Dell Windows 7 laptop where I can press F8 right before Windows 7 loads and the PC boots to a "recovery partition". Where is this option for Windows 8? Keep in mind, I do not have any start up or restore disks.

It can be annoying when the system fails to boot properly. Windows 8 has tried to recover from the error. However, it needs a recovery media to fix the error. This could happen if there is a hardware issue. I suggest you to run the hardware diagnostics by following the steps provided in the link below:http://dell.to/OUGnqT

I'm having a similar issue. The one I'm working on was rebooting after installing updates and now it boots to a black screen.

I've a BIOS update should resolve that but, the only only bios update posted for download runs in windows only and isn't an archive that can be extracted. When I try to run the executable from a command prompt I get the error "The subsystem needed to support that image type is not present"

I'm at the point I'd like to reset the OS but there was no OS disk supplied and and when I boot off the driver disk provided, it boots to a DOS window with two options, number one is to load some type of utility and number two is to quit. When I choose number one to load the utility utility nothing happens, I'm guessing because DOS can't find what's looking for or it needs to write to the hard drive and it can't because I have 64 bit OS ? I didn't spend a lot of time trouble shooting it.

Sooo, I'm stuck. I don't have a windows 8 home disc or a DOS version of the BIOS update. Any suggestions? Oh, I've tried booting into safe mode but, same black screen. I also tried checking https://smartsource.dell.com/Web/Welcome.aspx?ReturnUrl=/web/main.aspx for more more downloads but it requires me to register the PC and it won't let me because it checks to make sure you're on the PC with the service tag you're trying to register. (Obviously to prevent people from downloading licensed software they aren't entitled to) There, that should cover my trouble shooting endeavors up to this point.

I really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly. I should have mentioned I had already completed everything you suggested except for letting the diagnostics run all the way up to 100 %; I chose to not run the remaking set of tests when I was presented with the choice.
This time, I let let it run all the way through to 100%.. It took the better part of the day but, everything passed.
Any suggestions?
I know what I would do if I.had the two basic things I'm surprised Dell isn't/didn't provide. (The DOS version of the BIOS update and the Windows 8 Home edition.)

I should include that had already been using the link you provided for downloads ( http://dell.to/10GaKAc ), obviously with no luck. other than finding the link for this forum.
I'm not being "That Guy" who has to make sure you know that he knows as much as you because I'm sure that's not true. Just ask my sister, she'll tell you I know everything. It doesn't always sound so nice when she says it though, Anyway, I just want to make sure I don't waste any of your time researching a solution that I already attempted and it failed.
- Mike

I made sure the BIOS settings are set correctly as per your recommendations and when I boot I get the little Windows 8 white spinning circle at the bottom of the screen then it goes to a black screen. I'm on BIOS version A08

Thank you for the response. As the hardware diagnostics passed, you can try to repair the operating system. As the system does not boot to OS, force enter Recovery by the following method:

Shut down the computer

Power On the system

Power Off the system as soon as ‘rolling dots’ appear at the bottom of the screen

Repeat steps 2-3 times to start 'Automatic Repair'

Let automatic repair finish and then click ‘Troubleshoot’

Click ‘Advanced Options’

Click ‘Automatic Repair’

You may ‘Refresh’ your system in case the ‘Automatic Repair’ is not able to repair Windows 8.

*Note: The apps that came with your PC or you installed from Windows Store will be reinstalled, but any apps you installed from other websites and DVDs will be removed. Windows puts a list of the removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC.

If the above steps don’t work you can click ‘Dell Backup and Recovery’ and perform pc restore by following the steps below:

Click the ‘Dell Backup and Recovery’ icon

The system restarts and comes back up, click ‘Next’ on the Dell Backup and Recovery Screen

The system would be checked to see if the smart repair option can fix the issue, click ‘Next’

once this is done

You will be prompted to select the backup to be used, click the factory image option or select from one of the backups. Click ‘Next’

You will be prompted to back up your files, select ’No, Erase my files’

The system goes ahead and completes the restore of the operating system. Click Restart when prompted

I get to the recovery screen That reads "After multiple tries, the operating system on your PC failed to start, so it needs to be repaired.

Error code: 0xc0000001"

Then says I need recovery tools on a usb drive or the installation media etc. and I have the option to go to the F8 menu or the Bios Setup screen I don't remember the third, It shuts itself off after about a minute if you don't make a selection.

There are no recovery options and I know what that screen looks like. I recently used it on a PC at work and I had to put the windows 8 disk in. The one CD they did provide is bootable but there's only and option to run a 32 bit diagnostics which won't run because the drive is 64 bit. is there some where I can download media fix this. I have a windows 8 disc but it's pro not home version so it's useless. I'm pretty sure the bios update would resolve the issue as well if there is some way I can run it from a command prompt? The file name is "Inspiron 660 Vostro 270 A09.exe" so it must run from windows and it's not an extractable executable. I'm very frustrated at this point. I can't think of any other way to repair this machine unless there is some command I can run from a command prompt to access something on the system partition.

Please provide me the Service Tag and the name as it appears on the account via private message (click my username and then click Start Conversation) so I may access your records and check for further course of action.

I did as you requested. It didn't confirm whether the message was successfully sent or not. It just went to your profile when I clicked send or whatever the button said. Let me know if you didn't receive anything.

I have the same issue as MF Garrett. Can you tell me what you did to fix it? It started with the 0xc000021a error, and then to the 0xc0000001 error. I have a dell inspiron 660. I would even take it back to factory default, but can't get to that screen. Please help

You said: "but any apps you installed from other websites and DVDs will be removed. Windows puts a list of the removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC".

The Dell Backup and Recovery never works. System restore does not work. Data recovery does a system restore. So stupid. I am so sorry to have Dell inspiron 660 with windows 8. I lost my application five times already and yes I get A LIST OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT I LOST BUT, how do you recover them is the question???

Now I upgraded from Windows 8.1 evaluation to Windows 8.1 supported by Dell because I was given a deadline time January 14 that I had to do it. While doing and when the update started, a little window pops stating that all the application will have to be reinstalled???? !@#$%^&*()_+

I LOST ALL MY PRIOR INSTALLED APPLICATION INCLUIDING THE DELL APPLICATIONS. What a pain to have to start all over. What is even worse is that in order to recoup the Dell applications and tools I will have to get a service tag and then I get someone from India to run a service check in my PC only to find out that the problem is configuration (HELLOOO) and then probably try to charge me well over $200.00

Among my paid applications I bought Backup and Recovery Premium from the same Dell ($39.00) and now in order to reinstall in my PC they want another $39.00 LOL it is a joke.. Dell is a joke!!!!